The Poignant Honor

When you saw Roy Halladay during his heyday with the Blue Jays or Phillies, you knew you were watching a future Hall of Famer. Tuesday's news confirmed what so many of felt during that remarkable 10-year peak of his career. Between 2002 and 2011, "Doc" won two Cy Young Awards -- one in each league -- as well as finishing second twice and third once. Five "medal" finishes in a decade.
And who can forget his first-ever playoff game? In the opening game of the 2010 NLDS, he pitched just the second post-season no-hitter ever.
It's no surprise that athletes love challenges, both in their chosen games and elsewhere. Roy Halladay, like Thurman Munson, found a second passion in flying small airplanes. The exhilaration one feels, the adrenaline rush, must feel like the thrill of competition. But the risk is real, tragically real as we again learned just over a year ago.
Thus, a brilliant legacy that fans in Toronto and Philadelphia will celebrate -- but sadly, without the man who authored it.
(This image of Roy Halladay is from just before the Phillies/Mets game at Citi Field on July 11th, 2011.)

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